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Josh Lanier

Assistant Managing Editor

jlanier@dailyvoice.com

Josh Lanier started his reporting career in high school for his local newspaper. Many — many — years later, he’s still chasing leads for compelling stories. During his time writing for newspapers, magazines, and online publications, he’s covered everything from murderers to mommy bloggers, but his most interesting story is always the next one.

Josh Lanier's Contributions

Business

Puff, Puff, Pass On The Shirts: Western Mass Strip Club Wants To Convert To Topless Dispensary The owners of a Franklin County strip club say they have big plans for the site once they reopen. Instead of nude dancers and beer, they want to have topless saleswomen and marijuana. Nicholas Spagnola, a co-owner of Club Castaway in Whately, spoke with the town's selectboard earlier this month to unveil his revolutionary plan to carve out a "niche" in the fast-growing cannabis retail space. “Our goal would be to operate a topless dispensary and to remove nude dancing and alcohol from the license,” Spagnola said. Spagnola and his business partner Julius Sokol bought …

02/27/2023

News

Actress Born In Western Mass Earns SAG Award For Popular HBO Series An actress from Longmeadow picked up her first Screen Actors Guild award Sunday night, Feb. 26, and was a part of the most talked-about moment from the award ceremony. Meghann Fahy, along with her costars in the second season of HBO's "White Lotus," won Best Ensemble in a Drama Series. It's the first major award for the 32-year-old rising star. Fahy played Daphne Sullivan in the black comedy-drama series, and her nuanced portrayal of the layered housewife has solidified her as one of the breakout stars in the series. Fahy has also starred in "One Life To Live" and had numerous roles in o…

02/27/2023

Police & Fire

Driver Hospitalized After Crashing Into Springfield Home: Firefighters One person was injured after a car crashed into a Springfield home late Sunday night, Feb. 26, authorities said. The driver slammed into the home at 164 Goodwin St. just after 10:45 p.m. and had to pull themselves out of the wreckage, the Springfield Fire Department said. Firefighters arrived moments later and evaluated the driver before rushing them to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities did not release the driver's name or if they would face any fines or charges from the wreck. SFD responded to 164 Goodwin St. @1037hrs. For car vs house. One occupant s…

02/27/2023

Police & Fire

'Sexual Predator' Gets 12 Years For Blackmailing Massachusetts Teen Into Send Nudes: Feds A 33-year-old Chicago man who bullied a 16-year-old Massachusetts girl into sending him nude photos and then threatened to release them to her friends and family if she didn't give him more will spend more than a decade behind bars, federal authorities said. Ernesto Herrera, who pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor in August, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on Friday, Fed. 24, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Herrera reached out to the victim from an anonymous phone number through a social media app in June 2020 and manipulate…

02/24/2023

Police & Fire

Man 'Too Smart' To Catch Busted In His Boxers At West Springfield Motel: Police A man wanted on manslaughter and drug charges was captured this week despite his female friend telling officers he was "too smart" for them to catch, authorities said. Derek Wayne Webb, 30, had cut off his parole monitoring bracelet, and officers went to find him on Wednesday, Feb. 22, West Springfield police. Their search led them to a motel room at the Springfield Inn at 1573 Riverdale Street. Police knocked on the door, but the woman who answered said Webb wasn't there. She added that they should end their search because "Derek is too smart for you guys to catch," West S…

02/24/2023

Police & Fire

Drugs, Ghost Gun, Cash: Suspected Drug Trafficker Busted In Springfield: Police Springfield police busted a suspected drug trafficker at his home this week after investigating him for a month, authorities said. Rafael Villanueva-Colon, 26, of Springfield, was caught with heroin, cocaine, a loaded ghost gun, and thousands in cash when officers arrested him on Wednesday, Feb. 22, Springfield police said. Members of the firearms investigation unit were watching Villanueva-Colon as he pulled out of the driveway of his Beacon Street home on Wednesday and pulled him over a short time after. Inside the car, investigators found nearly 200 bags of heroin in a box hid…

02/24/2023

Police & Fire

Homeowner Escapes 2 Alarm Blaze In Westborough: Firefighters A Westborough homeowner can thank their fire alarm for helping them escape a two-alarm blaze on Friday morning, Feb. 24. The blaze broke out just before 6:30 a.m. at 65 Adams St. near the intersection with Orchard Hill Drive, authorities said. The fire started in the living room and quickly spread. Westborough firefighters were fast to the scene, and with help from several area fire crews, they had it under control by 7:15 a.m., officials said. Grafton, Hopkinton, Northborough, Shrewsbury, and Southborough departments assisted. The fire marshal estimates the hom…

02/24/2023

Police & Fire

Ex-Winchester Nurse Busted Stealing Opioids From Hospital: Feds A former Winchester nurse potentially faces more than a decade in prison after federal authorities arrested her for allegedly stealing painkillers from a hospital, officials said. Andrea Falzano, 38, is charged with three counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, deception, and subterfuge, the US Attorney for Massachusetts. Each charge carries up to four years behind bars and a potential $250,000 fine. Falzano is alleged to have taken hydromorphone and morphine from a Boston-area hospital, federal authorities said. The prosecutor did not name the hospital, but a Linke…

02/24/2023

Police & Fire

Ex-Youth Pastor Admits To Raping Boys In Newbury, Gets 4 Years: DA A former youth pastor from New Hampshire who admitted to raping two boys and a young man was sentenced to four years behind bars, authorities said. Russell Davis, 70, formerly of Newbury, pleaded guilty to rape of a child under 16 — among other felonies on Thursday, Feb. 23, the Essex County District Attorney's Office said. As part of his plea, Davis will serve four years in prison, three years on probation, and must register as a sex offender, authorities said. In all cases, Davis befriended his victims through his position at the United Methodist Church and offered them m…

02/23/2023

Police & Fire

Traffic Stop Helps Troopers Solve Central Mass Armed Robbery: Police An accused armed robber made things very easy for Massachusetts state troopers this week when he left enough evidence to link him to the crime in his illegal vehicle, authorities said. Eddie Colon, 18, of Fitchburg, is accused of robbing a Cumberland Farms store in Fitchburg Tuesday night, Feb. 21, state troopers said. Troopers pulled over Colon's Nissan Altima in a Sears parking lot in Leominster on Wednesday morning because he didn't have a tag on the front of the car, authorities said. When police pulled over the sedan, they noticed the driver frantically reaching around in t…

02/23/2023

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